Water and Waste Treatment Plant Operators
Description OES Code: 95002
Operate or control an entire process or system of machines, often through the use of panelboards, control boards, or semi-automatic equipment, to transfer or treat water and/or liquid waste.

Wages, California
Entry-Level Hourly Wage $14.52
25th Percentile $16.65
50th Percentile $21.61
75th Percentile $26.35

Wages, San Joaquin County
Entry-Level Hourly Wage $19.53
25th Percentile $22.26
50th Percentile $25.46
75th Percentile $28.09

Wages by California County
• OES Survey
• CCOIS Survey

Hours & Benefits
Operators normally work rotating shifts, weekends included, and are paid a shift differential for swing or graveyard shifts. Overtime hours may be necessary when emergencies occur and are generally paid at time and one-half or double time rates. Benefits include paid vacation, holidays and sick leave; health, dental and vision insurance; and retirement plans.

Employment Trends, California
Employment 1998 11.600
Employment 2008 13,600
Percent Change 1998-2008 17.2%
Separations 1998-2008 2,900

Employment Trends, San Joaquin County
Employment 1999 270
Projected Employment 2006 300
Percent Change 1999-2006 11.1%
Separations 1999-2006 50

Employment Trends by California County

The occupation is expected to grow at a rate considerably slower than the average of all other occupations. Most job openings will occur as workers retire or leave the work force for other reasons.

Advancement
As operators are promoted, they become responsible for more complex treatment processes. Some operators are promoted to plant supervisor or superintendent; others advance by transferring to a larger facility. Postsecondary training in water and wastewater treatment coupled with increasingly responsible experience as an operator may be sufficient to qualify for superintendent of a small plant, where a superintendent also serves as an operator. However, educational requirements are rising as larger, more complex treatment plants are built to meet new drinking water and water pollution control standards. With each promotion, the operator must have greater knowledge of Federal, State, and local regulations. Superintendents of large plants generally need an engineering or science degree.

Getting the Job & Other Information
Operators with no prior experience generally begin as operators-in-training and work under close supervision of certified operators.

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Education and Training
Entrance requirements vary somewhat, depending on the employer. Some employers require applicants to have an associate's or bachelor's degree in water treatment technology. Other employers hire applicants who have a high school education or equivalent. Many employers hire inexperienced but highly motivated applicants and train them on-the-job. Some hire only experienced, certified operators.

All Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant Operators must be certified by one of the two State operator certification program agencies. The certification process requires both types of operators to have specific amounts of on-the-job training, complete a number of training courses and pass a competency examination for each grade level of certificate (Grades I through V). Operators with no prior experience generally begin as operators in-training and work under close supervision of certified operators. As a condition of continued employment, trainees are required to obtain a Grade I certificate within a certain number of years. Most employers require a valid driver's license. Trainees receive intensive on-the-job training and attend technical classes after work.

Skills & Other Requirements
Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant Operator need mechanical aptitude and the ability to read and understand charts and graphs and carry out oral and written instructions. They should be competent in basic mathematics, chemistry, and biology. They must have the ability to apply data to formulas of treatment requirements, flow levels, and concentration levels. Some basic familiarity with computers also is necessary because of the trend toward computer-controlled equipment and more sophisticated instrumentation. The work requires frequent walking, standing, and lifting. Employers may require vision and color perception screening.

References
California Occupational Guide #443

Related Occupations: Stationary Engineers

Training: California Training and Education Providers (CTEP)